Senior Benefits Manual
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324-6        DOCUMENTATION OF U.S. CITIZENSHIP AND ELIGIBLE ALIEN STATUS

 

U.S.United States citizenship is verified only when questionable.  Every household must declare that all household members have U.S. citizenship or satisfactory immigration status. The adult household member or authorized representative fulfills this condition of eligibility by signing the application or recertification.

 

324-6        A.   VERIFICATION OF U.S. CITIZENSHIP IS NOT REQUIRED FOR:

 

 

324-6        B.   ACCEPTABLE DOCUMENTATION

 

Sources of verification include birth certificates, certificates of citizenship or naturalization provided by the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCISU.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) U.S. passports, and official identification cards showing U.S. citizenship.  U.S. National status may be verified with a U.S. passport stamps "U.S. National."

 

 

324-6        C.  PROOF OF QUALIFIED ALIEN STATUS

 

An alien must provide proof of his or her qualified alien status.  The following documents are acceptable for determining alien status and whether the alien is subject to the five-year waiting period.

 

Certain USCISU.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services documents can be viewed online at https://www.uscis.gov/forms/all-forms

 

 

 

IMMIGRATION STATUS VERIFICATION DOCUMENT (USCIS FORMS)
Legal Permanent Resident
  • I-551 (referred to as green card), or
     
  • I-94 annotated with a temporary I-551 stamp (for recent arrivals or aliens who have applied for a replacement I-551)
Refugee
  • I-94 stamped showing admission under section 207 of the INA and date of entry to the US, or
     
  • I-688B annotated 274a. 12(a)(3), or
  • I-766 annotated A3, or
  • I-571 (Refugees usually adjust to LPR status after 12 months in the US, however, they are still considered refugee for eligibility purposes when they have an I-551 with a code of RE-6, RE-7, RE-8, or RE-9)
Special Immigrants
  • I-94 or passport stamped with an "S" category
Asylee
  • I-94 stamped showing grant of asylum under section 208 and date of entry, or
  • A grant letter from the Asylum Office of the USCIS; or
  • I-688B annotated 274a.12(a)(5), or
  • I-766 annotated A5, or
  • Court order of an immigration judge showing asylum granted under section 208.
Parolee
  • I-94 annotated with stamp showing grant of parole under 212(d)(5) and a date showing granting of parole for at least 1 year.
Deportation Withheld 
  • Order of an immigration judge showing deportation withheld under section 243(h) and date of grant; or
  • I-688B annotated 274a. 12(a)(10), or
  • I-766 annotated A10
Conditional Entrant
  • I-94 with stamp showing admission under 203(a)(7), refugee-conditional entry, or
  • I-688B annotated 274a. 12(a)(3)
  • I-766 annotated A3
Battered Spouse or Child of U.S. Citizen or Permanent Legal Resident
  • Approved or pending I-130 or I-360 petition showing a prima facie case that he or she is protected under the Violence Against Women Act, and
  • Verification that the individual responsible for the battery or cruelty is no longer living in the household of the victim.
Cuban or Haitian Entrant
  • I-94 with stamp showing parole as Cuban/Haitian Entrant under section 212(d)(5) of the INA
  • Form I-551 with code CU6, CU7, or CH6
  • Foreign passport containing an unexpired temporary I-551 stamp with the code CU6 or CU7
U.S. Military Veteran Active Duty Military (includes spouse and unmarried dependent children under 21)
  • Green Form DD-2 marked ACTIVE, or
  • A current order showing the individual is on full-time duty in the US Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard (Reserves are not considered active duty)
  • DD-214 indicating honorable discharge, or
  • Discharge papers indicating honorable discharge
Victims of Trafficking (includes certain eligible immediate family members holding a derivative T-Visa)
  • Letter of certification from the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). The caseworker must verify the validity of this letter and notify ORR of the benefits for which the individual has applied by calling the toll-free trafficking verification line at 1-866-401-5510.
  • Form I-797a indicating Class T-1 Visa.
  • Form I797a indicating T-2 (spouse), T-3 (child), T-4 (parent) or T-5 (unmarried sibling under age 18 years on the date such alien's T visa application was filed), known as a Derivative Visa.

    Note:

    T status is valid for 3 years from date of approval and is not renewable.  However, the individual may adjust to lawful permanent resident status within the 90-day period immediately preceding the expiration of T status.
American Indian Born in Canada
  • Birth or baptismal certificate issued on a reservation;
     
  • Tribal records;
  • Letter from the Canadian Department of Indian Affairs, or
  • School records

 

IMMIGRATION STATUS

VERIFICATION DOCUMENT ( USCISU.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services FORMS)

Legal Permanent Resident

·         I-551 (referred to as green card), or
 

·         I-94 annotated with a temporary I-551 stamp (for recent arrivals or aliens who have applied for a replacement I-551)

Refugee

·         I-94 stamped showing admission under section 207 of the INAImmigration & Nationality Act Immigration & Nationality Act and date of entry to the US, or
 

·         I-688B annotated 274a.12(a)(3), or
 

·         I-766 annotated A3, or,
 

·         I-571

      (Refugees usually adjust to LPRLawful Permanent ResidentLawful Permanent Resident status after 12 months in the US, However, they are still considered refugee for eligibility purposes when they have a I-551 with a code of RE-6, RE-7, RE-8, or RE-9)

Special Immigrants

·         I-94 or passport stamped with an "S" category

Asylee

·         I-94 stamped showing grant of asylum under section 208 and date of entry, or
 

·         A grant letter from the Asylum Office of the USCISU.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services ; or
 

·         I-688B annotated 274a.12(a)(5), or
 

·         I-766 annotated A5, or
 

·         Court order of an immigration judge showing asylum granted under section 208.

Parolee

·         I-94 annotated with stamp showing grant of parole under 212(d)(5) and a date showing granting of parole for at least 1 year.

Deportation Withheld

·         Order of an immigration judge showing deportation withheld under section 243(h) and date of grant; or
 

·         I-688B annotated 274a.12(a)(10), or
 

·         I-766 annotated A10

Conditional Entrant

·         I-94 with stamp showing admission under 203(a)(7), refugee-conditional entry, or
 

·         I-688B annotated 274a.12(a)(3)
 

·         I-766 annotated A3

Battered Spouse or Child of U.S.United States United States Citizen or Permanent Legal Resident

·         Approved or pending I-130 or I-360 petition showing a prima facie case that he or she is protected under the Violence Against Women Act, and
 

·         Verification that the individual responsible for the battery or cruelty is no longer living in the household of the victim.

Cuban Or Haitian Entrant

·         I-94 with stamp showing parole as Cuban/Haitian Entrant under section 212(d)(5) of the INAImmigration & Nationality Act Immigration & Nationality Act
 

·         Form I-551 with code CU6, CU7, or CH6
 

·         Foreign passport containing an unexpired temporary I-551 stamp with the code CU6 or CU7

U.S.United StatesMilitary Veteran, Active Duty Military

(includes spouse and unmarried dependent children under 21)

·         Green Form DD-2 marked ACTIVE, or
 

·         A current order showing the individual is on full-time duty in the US Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard (Reserves are not considered active duty).
 

·         DD-214 indicating honorable discharge, or
 

·         Discharge papers indicating honorable discharge

Victims Of Trafficking

(includes certain eligible immediate family members holding a derivative T-Visa)

·         Letter of certification from the Office of Refugee Resettlement ( ORROffice of Refugee Resettlement ).  The caseworker must verify the validity of this letter and notify ORROffice of Refugee Resettlement Office of Refugee Resettlement of the benefits for which the individual has applied by calling the toll-free trafficking verification line at 1-866-401-5510.  
 

·         Form I-797a indicating Class T-1 Visa.
 

·         Form I-797a indicating T-2 (spouse), T-3 (child), T-4 (parent) or T-5 (unmarried sibling under age18 years on the date such alien’s T visa application was filed), known as a Derivative Visa.

 

Note:

T status is valid for 3 years from date of approval and is not renewable. However, the individual may adjust to lawful permanent resident status within the 90-day period immediately preceding the expiration of T status.

 

American Indian Born In Canada

·         Birth or baptismal certificate issued on a reservation;
 

·         Tribal records;
 

·         Letter from the Canadian Department of Indian Affairs, or
 

·         School records

 

324-6        D. SYSTEMATIC ALIEN VERIFICATION FOR ENTITLEMENTS (SAVESystematic Alien Verification for Entitlements) PROGRAM

 

The Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVESystematic Alien Verification for Entitlements) is a program run by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services which provides both an online system and a paper-based process to verify the immigration status of aliens.

 

IEVSInstant Eligibility Verification System is used to obtain the SAVE verification online.

 

The Verification Information System (VISVerification Information System) is the online verification system.  The paper-based process makes use of the G-845, Document Verification Request.

 

The documents provided by each alien as verification of immigration status must be authenticated by using the SAVE program.  The VISVerification Information System system will identify whether or not the alien has been lawfully admitted into the U.S.  However, it may not provide enough information to determine whether or not the individual is a "qualified alien."  The date of entry indicated on the VISVerification Information System database may not accurately reflect the date an immigrant physically arrived in the U.S.

 

Secondary verification may be needed if no records are found or if there are discrepancies between the alien's documents and VISVerification Information System.  Written consent from the household is required to contact USCISU.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to obtain documentation or information to verify the alien's status.

 

If the alien does not want the caseworker to contact USCISU.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the household can withdraw its application or participate without that member.

 

Written consent is not required to:

 

 

Verification of each alien's status through the SAVESystematic Alien Verification for Entitlements program is required whenever an application is processed.  All such contacts must be clearly documented in the case record.

 

See Administrative Procedures Manual Section 105-14 for instructions on how to use the SAVESystematic Alien Verification for Entitlements program.

 

 

 

 

 

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2024-03 (12/24)